Malaysia's Olympic kit to get a new look after public outcry
Malaysia's Olympic kit for the Paris Olympics 2024 has been met with a resounding "no" from fans, who labeled the gold-themed outfits as "ugly" and "cheap looking." The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) President, Norza Zakaria, has taken note and promised to redesign the kit to meet the expectations of Malaysians.
The initial design, unveiled on June 23, featured a tiger-stripe pattern and a gold version of the Jalur Gemilang (national flag). While the design team intended to symbolize Malaysia's pursuit of gold medals, fans were upset about the flag's colors being replaced with gold instead of the traditional red, blue, yellow, and white.
Zakaria explained that the gold flag was in line with the International Olympic Council's guidelines and symbolized Malaysia’s aim to clinch their first-ever gold medal at the Olympics. However, he acknowledged the public's disappointment.
“The current kit shows a gold version of the Jalur Gemilang, which the design team thought would best symbolize the contingent’s aspirations to bring home Malaysia’s first-ever Olympic gold medal. The gold version of the national flag is in line with the national Olympic contingent team apparel guidelines of the International Olympic Council (IOC), and Malaysia’s attire has already been approved by them,” said Norza (via Free Malaysia Today).
Malaysia’s Olympic kit to be redesigned to meet the expectations of Malaysians
To address the concerns, Norza has instructed the OCM to work with Yonex, the national team's sponsors, to make improvements to the attire. The new design will feature the OCM logo and the Jalur Gemilang in its true colors.
The change will be made to ensure that the athletes wear a kit that makes Malaysia proud. The redesigned kit aims to reflect the country's stature and meet the expectations of all Malaysians.
“We are committed to ensuring that every member of our contingent is dressed in a manner that brings pride to the country and the rakyat,” he added.